The Romanian Armed Forces Contribution to Military Operations in Iraq

One of the major changes produced in the Romanian society after 1989 has undoubtedly been the new approach to international relations which reshaped the manner of Romania’s involvement in solving various problems of international community. In this context, our country’s determination to join the Euro-Atlantic security structures and, as a consequence, to support the efforts of international organizations to promote the principles of freedom and democracy around the world has enhanced the national security within NATO and European Union framework. Romania had also acknowledged that belonging to such security systems offer benefits and require obligations to be assumed. Our country – along with allies – has gradually become a security generator, being actively involved through armed forces in an increasingly wide range of international missions.
Even if before 1989 our country “proudly” used to claim the fact that the Romanian armed forces with some exceptions had never been deployed beyond national boundaries, nowadays the Romanian soldiers are part of different multinational operations on several continents and they are conducting particular missions along side with their allies, realizing benefits and taking risks.
Romania was probably the first former communist country which sent military personnel to act as UN and OSCE observers in different conflict zones. Later on, as NATO partner country or as a full member of the Alliance, Romania increased participation in multinational operations assuming new commitments to international organizations or coalitions-led missions such as those in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Romania’s defense policy before 1990 had been shaped to address mainly against traditional threats. After 1991 the national defense policy was developed in a broader framework shifting from a territorial defense approach to an approach meant to protect and promote national interests out of the country based on a revised role of the Romanian Armed Forces. This step pinpointed the beginning of Romania’s involvement in peace support missions, starting with the participation in the 1991 Gulf War, missions in Somalia and Angola and continuing with the involvement in the missions in Afghanistan and Iraq.